Collating machine



Sept. 8, 1942. F. H. BLYTHE ETAL 2,295,073

COLLATING \MACHINE Filed March so, 1940' I s Sheets-Sheet 1 m E a:

'2 N I i m & n

n 0 Q N N INVENTOR5.-

FRANK hi BLYTHE LEONARD IM KUTTLERJR.

ATTORNEYS.

9 1942. F. H. BLYTHE EI'AL 2,295,073

COLLATING MACHINE Filed March 30, 194G 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS. FRANKH. BLYTHE LEONARD \M KUTTLER, JR.

9 A ORNEYS? Sept; 8, 1942. F. H. BLYTHE ETAL COLLATING MACHINE FiledMarch 30, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet I5 mwmom m L o VY-I NLT. W... IBKULA H VrK D ,mMM fi 'Putented Sept. 1942 comma MACHINE Frank 11.3mm. Lakewood,andLeonard w. Kuttler, in, Wicklifle, Ohio,

assignors to (Jolators,v

End, Fainesville, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application March 30,1940, Serial No.'326,950

' 20 Claims. (01. 270-52) This invention relates to collating machines.In handling small orders of manifold forms, printers have heretoforegathered or arranged the printed forms in the desired order by hand.

and have stitched, stapled, glued or otherwise secured them together.

This requires a considerable amount of time and involves so much expensethat the cost of such forms is, in many cases, prohibitive, with theresult that the printing trade loses many opportunities to sell suchjobs.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a machinewhich is admirably adapted for handling small as well as large ordersfor such printed forms expeditiously and at minimum cost.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the characterdescribed which is adapted to a wide varietyof work, both as to sizerequirement and the kinds of paper stock which must be handled.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of thecharacter described having means for registering and maintaining inregistered condition at least two edges of individual as well ascollated sheets.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a machine of thecharacter described having means for selectively perforating thesheetsas they are collated with other sheets.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means for securingthe gathered sheets or forms together.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention,then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and articularlypointed out in the claims; the ann ed drawings and the followingdescription setting forth in detail certain mechanism embodying theinvention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one ofvarious mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may beused.

In said annexed drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentaryplan view of a collating machine embodying theinvention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal cross-sectional view of themachine, taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the machine taken on theline 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig.4 is a. fragmentary transverse cross-sectional view of the machine,taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view, partly in section and elevation, taken onthe line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig.6 is a detail showing the mounting of one of the-gathering pins; and

Fig. 7 is a detail of oneof the perforating devices. v

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the machine will be seen tocomprise a frame consisting of a longitudinally extending plate 1 andangle 2, spaced from each other transversely of the machine, andsupported by angle uprights 3.

Journalled on the frame at longitudinally spaced points adjacent theends thereof are shafts d and 5, to each of which is secured a pair oftransversely spaced sprockets, the sprockets on the shaft d beingdesignated by reference numeral 6, and those on the shaft 5 bynumeral 1. Mounted on these sprockets are endless chains 8, certain ofthe links of which at uniformly spaced intervals are provided with ears9 (Fig. 6) in which are rigidly mounted transversely extending rods it.

Each of the rods it has pivotally mounted thereon, at points adjacentthe chains 8, blocks ll, each of which has projecting upwardly therefroma tapered finger or pin ii, the function of which will be presentlydescribed. Each of the blocks H is further provided with a rearwardlyextending bracket 53, which supports a roller M, which normally rides ona table or platform IS. The. table [5 is mounted on the frame of themachine immediately below the upper runs of the chain 8, and extendsfrom a point closely adiacent the sprockets d to a point below the shaft5, the rear portion of said table being curved, as

shown in Fig. 2', for a purpose to be presently described. Springs. iiiare provided'which are, secured at one end to the rods l0 and bear attheir other end on the brackets l3, so as to cause the rollers It tobear on the table l5 and maintain the pins l2 inan upright position, asshown in Fig. 2.

The chains 8 are adapted to be continuously driven in the directionindicated by the arrow in Fig. 2, and for this purpose, a motor I1 isprovided, which is suitably supported on a bracket l8, which extendslaterally from the frame of the machine, and drives the chains throughthe intermediary of chain l9, sprocket 20, shaft 2!, bevel gears Hand23, shaft 4 and sprockets 6,

Extending along the machine directly above the rods I0 is a series oftransversely spaced taut parallel wires 24, which lie in a planeparallel with the table [5 and extend to a point forwardly of thesprockets 6, thence over a stationary rod 25 which extends at rightangles to said wires, and have their forward ends secured to a secondstationary rod 26 disposed below and parallel with the rod 25. The wiresalso extend to a point rearwardly of the sprockets I, at which pointthey are secured to screws 21 which are threadedly mounted in across-bar 28 afiixed to the frame of the machine. By manipulating thescrews 21, the tension on the wires 24 may be adjusted in order tomaintain them substantially taut.

Mounted on the frame members I and 2 at points spaced to correspond withthe spacing of the pins l2 are stationary bars 29, to each of which issecured a series of transversely spaced wires 30 which extend forwardlyfrom said bars and at an appreciable angle to the common plane of thewires 24. The wires 39, as may be further noted, are disposed almostdirectly above the wires 24, corresponding in number with the latter,and are unsupported at their forward ends.

Secured to the ,frame member I, as by means of screws 3| and nuts 32, isa gauge or register plate 33, said plate being maintained in parallelspaced relation to said frame member by means of collars 34, mounted onthe screws 3|. By substituting for the collar 34 other collars ofdifferent lengths, the position of the gauge plate may be adjusted toaccommodate the sheets of varying lengths.

Means are provided for feeding the sheets to be collated onto the wires24, which constitute the gathering or collating table, such means beingshown only diagrammatically in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings, since theyform subject matter of an application Serial No. 360,052, filed October7, 1940. Such means comprises a series of automatically elevatable feedtables 35 spaced to correspond with the spacing of the pins l2 and bars29, each table having disposed thereon a stack S of sheets to becollated with sheets removed from the other tables. The tables aremounted on the machine proper, as shown in Fig. 3 and are inclined tocorrespond with the inclination of the tables l5 so as to facilitateremoval of the sheets and the feeding of the same onto the wires 30.

The sheet feeding mechanism further includes sucker tips 35, mounted onarms 31, which are actuated by means of levers 38 and 39 to cause saidsucker tips to pick u the uppermost sheet of the stack, transfer it ontothe wires 30 and return to the stack to pick up the next sheet. The pathof movement of the sucker tips is in.- dicated by the dotted lines inFig. 3. The levers 38 and 39 are respectively actuated by cams 40 and 4|mounted on a shaft 42 driven in synchronism with other moving partsofthe machine. Mechanism is also provided for automatically creating andbreaking the suction in the tips 36, such mechanism being wellunderstood by those familiar with this art, and hence not necessary todescribe.

Means are also provided for perforating the individual sheets prior tocollating them with other sheets, such means being best shown in Figs.1, 2 and 7. Such means comprises a series of perforators spaced alongthe machine at points spaced to correspond with the spacing of the sheetfeeders. Each perforator comprises an angle shaped bracket 43 which ismounted on the frame of the machine and has journalled therein a stubshaft 44. to the inner end of which is rigidly secured a perforator bedcylinder 45.

3 Cooperatingwith the cylinder 45 to perforate sheets which pass oversaid cylinder during the collating operation is a perforator wheel 46,which is revolubly mounted on a shaft 41. Shaft 41 is pivotally mountedon the bracket 43 as at 48, and has a threaded portion to which issecured a knurled adjusting nut 49. A compression spring 50 isinterposed between the bracket and the wheel 45 and normally maintainssaid wheel against the nut 49. Rotation of the cylinder 45 is impartedto the perforator wheel, the

portion of the wheel along the cylinder being adjustable as by means ofthe nut 49 to thereby vary the point at which the sheet is perforated.

The end of the shaft 41 is slotted as at 5| for the reception of a pin52 which is carried by a clevis head bolt 53, the stem 54 of whichextends through the bracket 43 and has secured thereto,

above the bracket, a nut 55. A compression spring 53 is interposedbetween the head 51 of the clevis bolt and the bracket 43, this springproviding a desired resilient backing for the perforator wheel. Theprimary purpose of the nut 55 is to permit the perforator wheel to bemoved upwardly to an inoperative position, so as to provide forselective perforation of the sheets.

The cylinders 45 of the various .perforators are driven by the motor I!through the intermediary of sprocket 58, chain 59, sprocket 50, shaftSI, and bevel gears 62 and 63.

Means are indicated at 64 for stitching, gluing, stapling or otherwisesecuring together the edges or ends of the collated sheets, such meanspreferably having a variable drive, so as to permit the speed thereof tobe varied in accordance with the width of the sheets which are beingcollated, the sheet conveying means being preferably driven at aconstant speed irrespective of the width of the sheets.

Operation With the machine in operation, sheets are removed from therespective stacks S by the sucker tips 36 and are deposited on the wires30, the inclination of r the machine facilitating movement of the loweredges of the sheets toward the plate 33, which thus accurately gaugessuch edges, the points at which such sheets are deposited on the wiresbeing termed by us sheet depositing stations.

Immediately after being thus deposited the side edges of the sheets areengaged by the pins l2, which thus gauge such edges, so that before anymovement of the sheets occur, they are accurately gauged at at least twoedges.

The pins l2 then push the sheets along the wires 30 and onto the sheetswhich have been pushed along the wires 24 from the preceding stations,the sheets being collated in this manner into sets as required. It willbe noted that the pins 12 are tapered as at I2 The degree of this taperis such that the distance X along the wires 30 is equal to the distanceY along the wires 24 -(see Fig. 2), and insures that the rear edge ofthe upper sheet will register with the rear edges of the lower sheets,when such upper sheet leaves the wires 30. v

In its movement along the wires 30, the sheet may or may not beperforated adjacent its ungauged edge, depending on whether theperforator or wheel 46 is in operative position.

In this connection, it may be noted that the perforators may, ifdesired, be disposed at the opposite side of the machine from thatshown, so that the sheets may be perforated adjacent their gauged edges.

The collated groups of sheets are carried along by the pins to thedevice 84, which assumes control over such groups. Immediatelythereafter, the rollers I 4 move clear of the forward edge of the tablel5, causing the springs I! to bias the pins to a position more or lessparallel with the chains 8, so as to quickly move the pins out of thepath of the plane of the gathered set of sheets. and in this way,preventing buckling of said set of gathered sheets, in the event thatthe device 64 moves the set of sheets at a slower speed/than it wasmoved by the pins II. In this connection, it may be noted that thedevice M is preferably driven at a slower speed than the pins l2.

As the pins approach the rear sprockets I, the rollers M are engaged bythe cam-like rear portion of the table l5, thereby moving the bracketsII to a position in which the pins are restored to their normal uprightposition.

Due to the lateral inclination of the apparatus as a whole, the. loweredges of the sheets are maintained in a gauged condition throughout thecollating operation, with a minimum of effort. Moreover, due to theinclination of the wires 30, the sheets are pushed along the machinewith a minimum of eflort.

It will be understood that the machine may have as many sheetsdepositing stations as-desired so as to handle any desired numberofsheets.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention, herewith shown anddescribed, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and thatvarious changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may beresorted to, without departing from the spirit of our invention, or thescope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. In a collating machine, a sheet gatheringtable comprising a pluralityof laterally spaced.

wires lying in an inclined plane, and a plurality of sets ofsheet-receiving wires disposed in parallel planes angularly inclined tosaid first named inclined plane. 2. In a collating machine, a sheetgathering table disposed in a plane inclined laterally to the directionof gathering, and a plurality of sheetmeans for gathering the sheetsdeposited at said stations, and means disposed between each pair ofadjacent stations in advance of the assembly points .of saidsheetsfor'perforating the sheets -moving from the first station in said pairto the second.

7. In a collating machine, a sheet gathering table comprising aplurality of laterally spaced- .wires, and a plurality of sets ofsheet-receiving wires disposed in parallel. planes inclined at an angleof less than 90 to the plane of said gathering table.

8. In a' collating machine, a sheet-gathering table comprising aplurality of laterally-spaced wires lying in an inclined plane, and aplurality of sets of sheet-receiving wires, each disposed in a plane atan acute angle to the plane 0d said gathering table. 7

9. In a collating machine, a sheet-gathering table, a sheet-receivingtable inclined-toward said gathering table in the direction of'gatheringand means for simultaneously moving sheets on said gathering table andon said sheet-receiving table, said means being equidistant from thelower end of said sheet-receiving table, measured along the top of saidtable, and from a point on the gathering table directly below said lowerend of the sheet-receiving table, measured along the top of saidgathering table.

. 10. In a collating machine, a sheet-gathering table, a sheet-receivingtable inclined toward said gathering table in the direction ofgathering, and

means for simultaneously moving sheets on said gathering table and onsaid sheet-receiving table,

-' said means comprising pins having sheet-engaging faces which form thebase of an isosceles triangle, the sides of which areformed by the uppersurfaces of the sheet-receiving and sheet-gatheringtable.

11. In a collating machine, a sheet-gathering table, a sheet-receivingtable inclined toward said gathering table in the direction ofgathering, and means for simultaneously moving sheets on said gatheringtable and'on said sheet-receiving table, said means comprising pinshaving tapered sheetengaging edges, the degree of taper being such thatthe distance along the sheet-receiving table from said edge to the lowerend of the table is equal to the distance along the sheet-gatheringtable to a point immediately below the lower end of he sheet-receivingtable.

12. In a collating machine, a frame, a sheetgathering table mounted onsaid fram and disposed in an inclined plane, a plurality ofsheetrecei-ving tables inclined toward said gathering table in thedirection of gathering, and a plu-" rality of sheet-feeding tablesmounted on said frame at points spaced to correspond with said pinssubstantially perpendicular to said plane during movement thereof insaid openings.

4. In a collating machine, a sheet gathering Y table, a plurality ofsheet-receiving tables inclined toward said first table in the directionof gathering, and pins movable in the direction of gathering, said pinshaving tapered conical surfaces.

5. In a collating machine, a sheet gathering table, a plurality ofsheet-receiving tables inclined toward said first table in the directionof gathering, and a plurality of sets'of gathering pins movable to pushsheets along said tables, said pins being of greater diameter at the topthan at the bottom.

6. In a collating machine, the combination of a plurality of spacedsheet-depositing stations,

sheet-receiving tables, said sheet-feeding tables being inclined tocorrespond with the inclination of said sheet-gathering table.

13. In a collating machine, a sheet-gathering table, sheet-gatheringpins movable along said table, means for maintaining said pinssubstantially perpendicular to the plane of said table during movementthereof along said table, and means for moving said pins into a planesubstantially parallel with the plane of said table, after compeliiiionof the movement out the pins along the 14. In a collating machine, thecombination of a -plurality of spaced sheet-depositing stations, meansfor depositing sheets at each station, means for collating said sheets,perforating means disposed between at least some of said stations and inadvance of the assembly points of said sheets, and means for driving thecollating and perforatin'g means:

' 15. In a collating machine the combination of a plurality ofspacedsheet-depositing stations, means for depositing sheets at each station,means for collating said sheets, perforating means dis-.

posed between at least some of said stations and in advance of theassembly points of said sheets, said perforating means being selectivelymovable into and out of operative position, and means for driving thecollating and perforating means.

16. In a collating machine, the combination of a plurality of spacedsheet-depositing stations, means for depositing sheets at each station,means for collating said sheets, perforating means disposed between atleast some of said stations, and

in advance of the assembly points of said sheets, means for renderingeach perforating device inefi'ective independently of the otherperforating device and means for driving the collating and aseaoas meansfor depositing sheets at each station, means for collating said sheets,perforating means disposed between at least some of said stations and inadvance ofthe assembly points of said sheets, securing means alignedwith the edges of the collating sheets for securing together the edgesthereof, means for driving the collating, perforating and securingmeans, said securing means being driven independently r me other means.VJ

19. In a collating machine a sheet gathering table, sheet feeding meansfor feeding sheets to said table including sheet receiving tables, meansfor moving sheets along said tables comprising gathering 'pins engagingthe rear of said sheets, and means on said pins for registering the rearedges of the upper and lower sheets when the upper sheet leaves thereceiving table.

-20. In a collating machine, a sheet gathering tabl havinglongitudinally extending openings therein, endless conveyor chainshaving their upper runs disposed below the plane of said table, sheetgathering pins carried by said chains and movable in said openings, saidpins being pivotally movable relatively to the common plane oi saidupper runs, means for maintaining said pins substantially perpendicularto said plane during movement thereof in said openings and means forquickly moving said pins out of the plane of the gathered sets ofsheets.

FRANK H. BLYTHE. LEONARD W. KUT'I'LER, JR.

